Everyone has experienced a mental rut of some sort at one point in their life. Whether it be struggling to write an essay for school, coming up with an idea for a song, or even what to eat for dinner. When mental ruts hit us, it is hard to buckle down and address the situation and what we can do to get out of it.
In this post, I want to talk about one specific rut, the creative one. More specifically what I do when I can't find graphic design inspiration. Naturally, everyone has their own ways of dealing with a creative rut and although not everything on this list might be for you, it is a good place to start.
Here are 5 things you can try to get out of your creative funk:
Create a mood board: My favorite thing to do when I don't know what to create or where to start is to go on an app like Pinterest or look at real life and compile a few songs, pictures, or phrases that I think inspire me and go well together.
Go for a walk: Although this one seems self-explanatory, going for a walk to clear your head can go a long way when you're stuck for ideas. I love to listen to music when I go for walks, but you can also ditch the headphones at home and listen to the sounds around you.
Get your mind off of the task: When I'm at a loss with ideas for a digital art piece, it is hard to motivate myself to get on the computer and brainstorm. Sometimes I try and avoid starting at all and instead do something to get myself or my mind moving. Activities like yoga, going somewhere with friends, or even having a break to cook can help with the frustration that comes with staring at a blank screen.
Random Word Choice: One of my favorite ways to get inspiration is by doing something I call Random Word Choice. This consists of writing down every word that comes to mind in a 30 second to a minute span (you can even ask friends for help) and choosing a few to create a digital piece on.
Getting inspiration from art itself: Last but not least, getting inspiration from art itself. This can consist of looking at other graphic designer's creations and getting inspiration from things such as song titles/songs, books, tv shows, and even physical art. As long as you're not plagiarizing, using art as an inspiration can be a great tool when in a rut.
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